5 Meals I've Made For Dinner Recently

Like many of you, I love searching the internet for weeknight dinner ideas. The dreaded "what's for dinner tonight" question can hit the moment we open our eyes, right? And if you have kids, they are definitely going to ask you that as soon as they get home from school. If I haven't figured out our dinner plan by then, I'm most likely going to grab a box of pancake mix and call it a day. 

Sometimes I do meal plan on Sundays and that makes a world of a difference for my week. But let's be real- I also kind of dread meal planning. Deciding what to eat in advance can feel like such a CHORE. I'm sure I'm not alone in this, so here are five meals that I've made recently that you can throw together fairly quickly on a weeknight. I've made each of these meals more than once in the last month. Hopefully one of them will be a guaranteed crowd pleaser in your home.

This baked ravioli from How Sweet Eats latest cookbook, Everyday Dinners, is SO good. It is an indulgent meal- not going to lie, but it is a meal that comes together SO fast. A bag of cheese ravioli, spinach, jarred pasta sauce, mozzarella (or burrata cheese) make up the components of this meal and I typically have all of those items on hand at all times. If you want to feel better about it, grab a bagged salad mix to serve alongside!

I love that you don't have to boil the pasta beforehand- it goes into the oven frozen. I've made this probably 3 times already and I've added ground italian sausage to it but I also like it as is, without any protein, which is how her recipe is originally written. I honestly could eat this once a week if I didn't care about the calories. 

See that one enchilada there without any cheese or sauce? That's for my son. :) Keep it plain please, mom. I've made many, many enchilada recipes and I love them all, but that's because I could eat Mexican food every day for the rest of my life and die happy.

For a weeknight, I like to reach for my Joanna Gaines cookbook, Magnolia Table, and make her Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas. I do customize her recipe to whatever I have on hand. On the night I took this photo I had a jar of salsa verde to use up, so I used that to pour over the enchiladas. I like her version better though. She mixes up a tub of sour cream, a can of cream of chicken soup, and green enchilada sauce. I also love how quick it is to throw together. Buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it up to use in the filling.      

This is another recipe from How Sweet Eats, Crispy Orange Chicken. I just love her. I've read her blog for years and she is so creative in the kitchen. It's also from her cookbook, Everyday Dinners, so I don't have a link for the recipe as it's not on her blog. This was really good- bite sized oven baked crispy chicken with a homemade orange sauce.  

Pot roast! I don't make pot roast often since I don't gravitate towards meals with red meat (unless I'm at a steakhouse, then I'm getting a steak). Sometimes the mood strikes and on this particular Sunday I had everything for it. I also love using my dutch oven and love that this recipe using ONE pot. One pot meals are amazing! I don't use my dutch oven enough and would like to use it more, so if you have any recipes for it please send them my way! 

A friend sent me a screenshot of this recipe from the book The Weekday Vegetarians. It's a white bean bake with tomatoes, cheese, oregano, and a panko topping. It's another one pot, or one pan meal, since I made it using my cast iron skillet. This was very easy and delicious!

I hope one of these meals will make it to your table this week. Tell me what you've made recently, I'd love to hear!

Dinner Lately

Lightened Up Chicken Parmesan

I made this chicken parmesan from Cooking Light last week. It's a little better for you than traditional chicken parmesan- instead of using bread crumbs, you use panko, and the tomato sauce isn't weighed down by lots of salt and tastes like you've been slaving away on the stove all day. We both loved it, including the mini!

Rotisserie Chicken with Lemon Risotto 

& Bacon Brussel Sprouts 

Last Friday I wasn't in the mood to cook so Miss A and I made a last minute trip to the grocery store for a rotisserie chicken. As we were leaving I saw that arborio rice was on sale and picked some up, suddenly with a huge craving for some risotto! The only risotto I make is lemon risotto, a Rachael Ray recipe. Gah, it is SO good!! I could easily sit there and eat the whole pot.

I also grabbed some brussel sprouts while we were at the store to make a super easy and quick veggie side dish. I don't know why brussel sprouts get such a bad rep- they are delicious, if you make them correctly! I follow this recipe from Picky Palate, but I omit the extra toppings and I cook mine in bacon fat. ;) I fry up three slices of bacon in a skillet, remove the bacon, leave the drippings and add a tablespoon of olive oil, then I add the sprouts. Perfect every single time!

Classic Cheeseburgers 

My husband loves having burgers for dinner. Sometimes we have burgers once a week, especially if I'm looking for something easy to make. I make them pretty much the same every time- salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and spoonful of barbecue sauce go into the mix. I cook them on the stove top and top them with cheddar cheese, red onions, and lettuce. 

Baked Potato Soup 

This is my favorite baked potato soup recipe. I made it two months ago while my parents were visiting. My dad loves to eat soup when it's cold out, which means he doesn't eat it very often, seeing as it rarely gets chilly in Miami. He requested soup one day for lunch and I had this recipe from Skinnytaste pinned that I really wanted to try. I love that the recipe calls for a head of cauliflower, so it's easy not to feel bad about eating this soup! Crispy bacon and cheddar cheese are a must for toppings!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Are you looking for an easy meal to entertain with this week? With family and friends in town or dropping by, this is a great dinner to serve for company. Pot roast is one of those meals that has a bad reputation. Some people love it, and some people hate it. My husband hated it. I grew up hating it, so as an adult, pot roast never sounded appealing to me, and it didn't to him when I told him what we were having for dinner that night.

Until we had a bite! Oh my word, this is good. This is a keeper folks. Leave it to the crock pot to change things around. How I love that thing.

I think all the prep that goes into this before it goes into the crock pot is what makes this so delicious. It's not a drop and dump crock pot recipe. There is some work to do before the cooking gets started. Peeling the carrots, chopping the onions, obviously, but what you might not do before you put something in the crock pot is cook it a little first on the stove. Well, not really cook- but sear. You want to lock in some flavor first. I'm convinced that is the key.  

So yes, if you are leaving to work in the morning, this will take some time. Maybe you'll want to save it for the weekend. Or if you're a SAHM, then use it on a day you know you're going to be busy most of the afternoon, and prep it in the morning. You'll be so happy you did!

Source: adapted from this recipe
Servings: 4-6 people (this makes a lot of leftovers)

3-4 tbsp olive oil

6 carrots, peeled, and diced (use more or less if you like)

1 yellow onion, cut into quarters  

4-5 pound boneless chuck roast

1 tbsp flour

1 cup red wine (I used chicken stock)

1 1/2 cup chicken or beef stock

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp dried rosemary

Spray your crock pot with cooking spray. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the pot.  Add the carrots and onions. You want to brown them well on all sides, 4-5 minutes (you're not trying to cook them, you just want them to have some color). Once you see them starting to brown, pour the carrots and onions into the crock pot.  

Add another tablespoon or so of olive oil to the pot you cooked the veggies in. Generously salt and pepper the chuck roast. Place the roast into the pot and sear for about 2-3 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Remove the roast and add to the crock pot, using tongs. You don't want to pour any of the juices into the crock pot just yet!!

Add a tablespoon of flour to the oil. Grab a whisk and start to whisk the flour, while you pour in the red wine or chicken stock to the pot. Continue to whisk to deglaze the bottom on the pan. Let it simmer on the stove for about five minutes, until the liquid has thickened up just a bit. Pour the mixture into the crock pot, along with the other 1 1/2 cup of beef or chicken stock (the liquid should be about half way up the meat, don't add more than that). Add the crushed garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Cook on low for 6 hours. 

I served mine with roasted potatoes and garlic bread. I wouldn't add the potatoes to the crock pot, because they get so mushy, unless you like them that way. Enjoy!

Slow-Cooker Asian-Style Beef

I absolutely love my crock pot. I tell everyone I know to get one if they don't have one. Are you too busy or too exhausted to cook some nights? Looking for meals after having a baby? Not that good in the kitchen? Do you feel like you're out of ideas on what to make for dinner? Then, my friends, you need to invest in a crock pot!

I mean, look at what comes out of it! Tender, juicy meat. Every single time. I've made pulled pork, orange chicken, beef dip sandwiches, ribs...the list goes on and on. Next I've gotta try dessert. Didn't know you could make dessert in a crock pot? You certainly can! I'll share something with you soon!

So what we have here is some boneless beef chuck. Red peppers, teriyaki sauce, garlic, green onions and red pepper flakes are all you need to get started. I always cook whatever is in my crock pot on low. Everything seems to come out much better that way. After the 6 hours are up, you'll pour some toasted sesame dressing and cornstarch into the base to make a sauce. I paired mine with white rice and steamed peas. It was a winner in our house, even Miss A asked for seconds!

Source: Kraft
Servings: 4

4 green onions, chopped

2 tbsp oil

2 lbs boneless beef chuck or blade roast trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 red bell peppers, sliced into strips

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

2 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 cup Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing (I used Kraft's)

2 cups frozen peas

1/2 cup cashews 

 

Chop onions and separate the white and green. Mince the garlic and slice the red peppers. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the meat, cooking for 5 min- you just want to brown it for some flavor before you add it to the crockpot. Stir occasionally, making sure to get all sides. Add minced garlic at the last minute, stirring until fragrant. Stir in teriyaki sauce, bell peppers, crushed red pepper and white onion slices. Stir everything together and pour into the crock pot. 

Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. If you're going to make rice, start the rice with 30 minutes left of cooking. Steam your peas and add to the rice.
 
Mix the cornstarch and toasted sesame dressing in a bowl until blended. Add to the crock pot along with the cashews and stir. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Top with green onion slices.  

Link up at Kitchenspiration

5 Back-to-School Weeknight Meals

It's back-to-school time and as a former teacher, I know how busy the first week is. Getting back into a routine after a lazy summer is not always an easy thing to do! I picked out a few of my favorite quick and easy meals for you to get back into the swing of things. 

1. Black Bean and Goat Cheese Quesadillas 

So simple. It really doesn't get any easier than this. Black beans, goat cheese, jalapeno peppers, and a red onion are all you need for these quesadillas. They would make for a great lunch too! 

2. Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese

I can assure you that this is definitely kid tested and kid approved. My daughter eats this up whenever I make it, which is great, since her tastes are constantly changing and evolving! She loves picking up the mini cheeseburgers and has tons of fun picking up pieces of pasta. All ages would love this and it makes for great leftovers!

3. Crispy Parmesan Sage Pork Chops

Another favorite in our house. Start them off on the stove and then transfer them to the oven to continue cooking. These pork chops have a crispy coating and I love the hint of sage and lemon. I've served them along side baked potatoes, green beans, and broccoli.

4. Crockpot Salsa Chicken

This has got to be my favorite crock pot recipe, hands down. I make it at least three times a month and it never fails to disappoint. You can get crazy and add all kinds of veggies on top- peppers, tomatoes, diced red onion, and black beans. 

5. Creamy Baked Ziti

I love baked ziti and this is my go-to recipe. I like to change it up often and use ground pork, Italian sausage, or ground beef. I also get crazy sometimes and make my own tomato sauce where I can hide veggies like zucchini and spinach. Serve along side a green side or garlic bread. Delicious!

Mushroom Steakhouse Burgers

There's nothing like a good burger. We are huge burger lovers and usually have burger night once a week. My favorite way to eat a burger is simple: cheddar cheese, with mayo, ketchup, lettuce and a slice of tomato. But I definitely like to try all kinds of burgers.

My sister in laws were recently in town to celebrate my daughter's birthday. Everyone returned back to Florida after a few days but my sister in laws stayed. We spent our days by the pool, at the mall, and on the floor in the family room, entertaining a certain one-year-old. Rachael Ray's show was playing in the background one afternoon and we all stopped to "ooo" and "ahhh" over a burger that was being assembled on screen.

I still hadn't figured out what to make for dinner that evening and we were all suddenly dying to try that burger. After a quick trip to the store I had all the necessary components to whip it together. And I gotta tell you, it was so easy!

Source: adapted from Rachael Ray (the meat mixture is my own recipe)
Servings: 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 pound ground sirloin
1 1/2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
1/8 teaspoon oregano
pinch of basil
salt and pepper to taste
8 slices Swiss cheese
4 hamburger buns, toasted and buttered

For the steaksauce:
2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup A-1 steak sauce
half the juice of a lemon
Salt and pepper

Place ground sirloin in a mixing bowl. Add BBQ sauce, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Lightly mix to combine. Score the meat into four sections so your burgers will be about the same size. Form 4 patties, using your thumb to make an indention in the middle. You want them to be plump on the sides, skinny in the middle so they'll cook evenly. Set aside.

Preheat oil in a small skillet. Add mushrooms to pan and begin to brown. Once they start turning brown, salt and pepper them to taste. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, then reduce and caramelize until there is a rich brown coating. Remove mushrooms from heat and set aside.

Heat another skillet with oil to medium. Place the patties into the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes; flip and then cook for 3-4 more minutes more, depending on how rare you like your burgers. Turn off the heat and top burgers with 2 slices of cheese and mushrooms. Allow to sit for 1 minute for cheese to melt. In the meantime, make the sauce.

To make the sauce, place all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Drain burgers on paper towels before placing on buns. Toast the hamburger buns and butter both sides. Assemble the burgers, topping with a dollop of sauce.

Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese

It's another mac and cheese recipe! I'm all for trying out as many of these as I can. Who doesn't like whipping together a cheesy, tasty pasta dish that can feed a whole family and provide you with plenty of leftovers the next day? Easy peasy. If you have kids or you're a kid at heart yourself, you and them are bond to love this meal.

True to it's name, this really does taste like you're eating a cheeseburger. It must be the ketchup and mustard that's in the mini burgers.

The cheddar cheese sauce ties it all together. You can't have a burger without cheese. Not for me at least. I must have some cheese! Tomatoes, red onions, and pickles are all great additions to add once it pops out of the oven.

Source: Rachael Ray
Servings: 4

Ingredients
1 pound cavatappi pasta (I used penne)
1 pound ground sirloin
1 tablespoon (about a palmful) grill seasoning
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup yellow mustard
3 tablespoons EVOO
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium red onion, chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 1/4 cups grated yellow cheddar cheese, divided
1 1/4 cups grated Swiss cheese, divided
3 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 deli-style pickle, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook just shy of al dente, according to package directions. Drain the cooked pasta and reserve.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the ground sirloin with the grill seasoning, ketchup and yellow mustard. Grab about a tablespoon of meat in your hand and roll it into a small ball. Place the mini meatballs onto a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of EVOO and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler.

While the mini meatballs are in the oven, heat a large saucepot over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon, and the butter. Cook the red onion with some salt and pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over top and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, season with salt and pepper, and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Remove sauce from heat and whisk in 1 cup of each cheese. Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce along with the baked meatballs and toss to combine. Pour everything out into a casserole dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar and Swiss cheeses.

If serving immediately, toss the mac under the broiler until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Top with the chopped tomatoes and pickles, and serve.

Worcestershire Burgers with Mushroms, Swiss, and Ranch Dressing

Every now and then the craving for a big, juicy burger hits. I like my burgers with cheese, lettuce, sometimes tomato, and always, always, with a sauce/spread.

My favorite burger thus far is this caramelized onion burger. This burger comes in at a verrrrrry close second.  It's got cheese, point # 1, it's got mushrooms, point #2, and it's got a creamy, tangy sauce all over it, point #55. My mouth waters right now just thinking about eating it again.

I love making burgers at home. I rarely ever order one out at a restaurant. For some reason I consider a restaurant burger to be unhealthy- burgers made at home = healthy. I love my math skills. But truly, if I'm making a burger at home, I always use lean ground beef, sometimes grass-fed, and I don't over do it in the seasoning department. I like them simple. I also almost always top it with some kind of veggie, whether it be mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes...and I use a whole wheat bun. Win win's all around. 

This burger is definitely one I can guarantee you'll want to add to your dinner rotations. "Sandwich" night can be fun and gourmet!

Source:  adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine

1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
About 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons grated onion
coarse salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 deli slices swiss cheese
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound baby bella mushrooms, slices
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup sherry (I used chicken stock)
1 cup sour cream
1/4 - 1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 clove garlic, grated
Whole wheat buns

Preheat a cast-iron skillet or griddle pan over medium-high heat. Combine the beef, worcestershire, onion, salt and lots of pepper. Form into 4 patties (thinner at the center and thicker at the edges for even cooking). 

Add the oil to the hot pan, add the patties and cook, turning once, for 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare to medium. Top the patties with the cheese, folded to fit the burgers, during the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 12 minutes. Add the shallot, season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Deglaze with chicken stock.

In a bowl, stir together the sour cream, buttermilk, herbs, lemon juice, hot sauce and garlic; season with salt and pepper.

Put the cheeseburgers on the roll bottoms and top with the mushrooms. Slather the roll tops with the dressing and set into place.

Weekend Eats & Treats

This was a grab-your-camera, don't-eat-yet kind of weekend.

 We went out to celebrate our anniversary on Friday night at a "gourmet" Cuban restaurant. 

I was craving a mojito!

 I had the pork medallions with what was referred to as a Caribbean sauce.

Oh My. It was to die for. I purposely didn't eat all of it so I could have some for lunch the next day. :) And because I wanted dessert...

Excuse the crappy pictures. This restaurant had horrible lighting!

The hubby had arepas filled with goat cheese. I nearly ate half of his too. SO GOOD. I love goat cheese.

We also got a side of tostones (fried plantains). These bring me back home.

For dessert we got churros, which is basically fried dough rolled in lots and lots of sugar. With chocolate dipping sauce!

Let's pause for a love moment. Yay. 

Saturday morning I made WAFFLES. With the new waffle maker my Mom sent to me two weeks early for my birthday! Thanks Mom! Love it!

I also bought these on Saturday. Popsicle molds!!! From Target.

For dinner we grilled steak, corn on the cob, and roasted potato wedges. Mmmm.

And then we made smores, using the grill. It worked eventually!

The end, for now. I didn't tell you about today. I made strawberry nutella muffins, strawberry popsicles, and it's still not dinner time!

What did you cook/bake this weekend?

Caramelized Onion Burgers with Spicy Mayo

It's burger season! By a show of hands, how many of you have already broken out the grill? I'm sure many of you have. I've got my eye on buying our first grill (!!)- nothing too big, nothing too fancy. One that is small and fits well in our backyard patio. I'd like an electric grill so I don't have to worry about charcoal and gas. Not for me! I'm thinking of getting this one!

Anywho, not having a grill doesn't stop me from making burgers. I cook them up in our kitchen, in a large skillet. I don't follow any particular recipe for the meat, I add 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce, salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Sometimes I get crazy and add chopped onion or garlic. 

The inspiration for this burger came from this recipe. I just followed the instructions on how to make caramelized onions, as I never have before. And now I'm obsessed. Surprised? You shouldn't be.

This was one of the best burgers I've ever had. The spicy mayo, that I found on Jamie Oliver's website, was a great addition. Trust me, you'll love it.


For the Caramelized Onions
Source: My Kitchen Addition

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon honey

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion.  The onion should sizzle but not pop and spatter in the oil.  Stir to evenly coat all of the onion in the olive oil. Continue to stir every minute or so until the onions are translucent.  Season with salt and add the teaspoon of honey.  Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the onions caramelize and are a rich golden color.  Remove the onions from the heat and allow to cool.

For the Spicy Mayo
Source: Jamie Oliver

4 teaspoons mayonnaise 
1 teaspoon tomato ketchup
a good pinch of smoked paprika or cayenne pepper
juice of ½ a lemon

I'd suggest using your favorite burger recipe for the meat. I used Swiss cheese and added some lettuce to my burgers. Delicious! 


What's are your favorite burger toppings?

Beef Tostadas

My first thought while making my huge, ginormous grocery list was to jot everything down for these beef tostadas. I tore the recipe out of the magazine and took it with me just.in.case. I wasn't about to let anything go wrong. I was serious about making these babies.

I love Mexican food. I constantly crave it, dream about it. There are thousands of Mexican restaurants in Florida and my favorite one was right by my old school. I used to order the best cheese enchiladas from that place. Sigh. Then we moved.

I still haven't found the perfect Mexican restaurant here, but I will, one day...

We don't have Mexican food very often in our house, as so many Mexican dishes are smothered with cheese and sour cream (not that that's a bad thing...). But come Friday night, after struggling with what I had left in the house to make dinner every night, I wanted something good. Something authentic. Something new.

Hence these beef tostadas. How I loved you. And I think you will too.

These would be great to use with soft taco shells as well. That's what the hubbs did. I enjoyed them full crunch style, frying up the soft taco shells to make them crispy. They are great either way.

Source: Foodnetwork Magazine

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 small red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 pound ground beef
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder (If you like things spicy, you should add more seasonings)
1 15-ounce can refried beans
1/3 cup sour cream
8 corn tostadas (flat, hard taco shells)
1 1/2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
Shredded lettuce, hot sauce and/or cilantro, for topping

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the beef and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and chili powder and cook, stirring, about 2 more minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the refried beans in a small saucepan. Thin the sour cream with about 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl.

Spread the beans on the tostadas, then top with the beef and cheese. Drizzle with the sour cream. Top with lettuce, hot sauce and/or cilantro.

What's your favorite Mexican dish?

Beef Dip Sandwiches

Are you trying to convince your husband/boyfriend/man to do something for you? Make him these sandwiches. They will change his life. He will be bowing down at your feet begging for you to make these for him again and again. Trust me. I know. That's what my husband did.  

Ridiculously easy to make and ridiculously tasty, juicy, mouth-watering... you'll eat three in a row before you even realize it. I made these the first day I knew I was getting sick, which was perfect, as I didn't have to do anything in the kitchen. The crock pot did all the work for me.

You'll need a nice beef chuck roast. Place it in the crock pot and pour soy sauce and water over it. Add three bay leaves, 2 cloves of garlic, and a handful of rosemary. Let it cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, the longer the better. When you are ready to assemble the sandwiches, take two forks to shred apart the meat, which takes no trouble at all. The meat will fall apart.

I like to top them with Swiss cheese, but I bet Provolone would work too. And whatever you do, save all that juice that's left in the crock pot! You HAVE TO/MUST/NEED to dip the sandwich into it. You will not achieve it's full potential without it.

And yes, those are tater tots are on this plate. Another man's weakness. :)

Source: What's Cookin Chicago?

4 pounds beef chuck roast

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

3 bay leaves

1 cup soy sauce

6 cups water

Place roast in slow cooker. Season with garlic, rosemary, and bay leaves. Pour in soy sauce and water. Cook on low setting for 6 to 10 hours. Unlike most roasts, the longer the better. 

To serve, place in hamburger buns or split french bread and top with your preferred cheese if desired. Feel free to dip your sandwich in the au jus left in the slow cooker too! 

What do you like to make in the crock pot? 

Link up at Saturday Swap.

Weekend Desserts

On Sunday I made this applesauce at around 4:00 in the afternoon. . .

. . .and then made these cookies at 9:00 at night.

They are really really sweet by the way. And super buttery. So if you like that combination, go for it.

. . . I am going to get fat.



And tonight we made these, FINALLY!!

O.M.G. They are SO good. Totally worth the wait. And by the way, this is NOT my picture (as you can tell), we were so excited to try them and blown away by the first bite that I forgot to take a picture. Not like you're missing the crappy iphone photos (we need a better camera!). But be reassured, they looked exactly like Joelen's. :)